Pizza dough recipes consist of everything from biscuits in a can cooked over an open fire, to hand-kneaded, made-from-scratch family recipes. Pizza dough is easy to make and is a family favorite in most households. Pizza dough can be used to make various dishes, other than the traditional Italian style pizza; it can even be used to make great tasting desserts to serve to party guests. The basics of making pizza dough are simple to learn and recipes are available for nearly every type of home chef. Discover some creative ways to use pizza dough.

Bread Machine Pizza DoughMost pizza dough recipes can be adapted to be mixed in an automatic bread maker. Simply add the yeast, flour water and salt to the bread machine and set the machine to a setting that is similar to mix only setting. Allow the dough to remain in the machine for about 20 minutes to rise before attempting to remove it from the bread maker. This method of making bread machine pizza dough cuts down on the hands on preparation of the pizza dough, freeing you to prepare the other ingredients for the pizza or take a few minutes to read your favorite book while your family thinks you are slaving away over supper.

Variations on the Traditional Pizza Dough RecipeWhile traditional sauce, cheese and pepperoni pizza recipes are a staple for family dinners, a few variations on the traditional pizza dough recipe can be considered.

A basic pizza dough recipe can be used as a dessert by baking the crust without toppings and adding a sweetened cream cheese base instead of sauce. You can then layer the pizza with your favorite jams, jellies or even maple syrup. Add fresh fruit or fruit compote as toppings and serve your pizza chilled for a twist on the traditional family pizza.

A vegetable pizza can be served as an appetizer at your next social gathering or family dinner. Bake your pizza dough without any sauces or toppings, and then add French onion dip, ranch dressing or cream cheese dip as a base. Fresh sprigs of broccoli, zucchini, squash, cauliflower, spinach, cherry tomatoes, black olives, carrot sticks and onions can be added as toppings for a healthy version of the beloved Italian pizza.

Mashed potatoes can even be added to your basic flour and yeast mixture to provide a unique flavor for your next family pizza making adventure. One cup of steamed spinach, one egg and one cup of ricotta or cottage cheese can be added to a basic pizza dough recipe for a healthy variation on the boring pizza crust.

Campfire pizzas can be made using readymade biscuits in a can. Simply place the dough in the bottom of a clean soup can lined with a little vegetable or olive oil. Press the center of the biscuit dough to form a depression and add your pizza sauce and cheese. Cook over an open flame or nestle the can in the glowing coals until the crust is golden brown.

Allow the can to cool before removing the pizza from the can and serve warm. Additional toppings can be added to your liking.

A breakfast pizza can be made with ground sausage, hash browns, ham and diced tomatoes. The adventurous cook can even add scrambled eggs or prepared omelets as breakfast pizza toppings.

Adding a little sugar or honey to your pizza dough can prepare the crust for sweeter toppings. Soft serve ice cream, gelato or sorbet can be spread over the sweetened pizza crust to make a frozen pizza treat. Traditional ice cream toppings such as chocolate chips, sprinkles, chocolate, caramel or strawberry syrup, fruit, and nuts can be added to your liking.

Stuffing the edges of the pizza crust with strips of mozzarella cheese or crumbled and browned sausage can help encourage little ones to eat their pizza crusts as well as the toppings. Providing a little extra sauce for dipping can help those unwanted crusts disappear as well.

Freezing Pizza DoughMaking a double batch of pizza dough is a great way to save time. Freezing pizza dough is easy and can save you time by cutting down on your preparation time. Pizza dough can be stored in the refrigerator for three days and will keep in the freezer for two months.

Pizza dough can be frozen in ball shapes or can be shaped to fit your favorite pan before freezing. Some people prefer to pre-bake their pizza crust before freezing because it cuts down on the bake time.

The pizza dough should be wrapped snugly in a double layer of plastic wrap and a final layer of aluminum foil.

To thaw frozen pizza dough, leave the dough in a covered pan at room temperature for three hours or thaw it in the refrigerator overnight.

Freezing pizza dough is an easy way to make any night pizza night, even with little time for preparation.

How to Make Pizza DoughBasic pizza dough is made by mixing flour with quick rising yeast, water, a small amount of salt and a little vegetable or olive oil. The dough is kneaded on a floured surface and left to rise for about 10 minutes. The pizza dough is then shaped into equal portions and pressed into a greased pan in the desired shape. The prepared pizza is usually cooked for about 20 minutes at 400° F. Thicker crusts and pizzas containing thick layers of ingredients take longer to cook.

Cornmeals, whole-wheat flour, honey and even herbs and spices can be added to the pizza dough to change the flavor. Some recipes call for the unbaked pizza crust to be brushed with a layer of melted butter and sprinkled with Italian seasonings or a garlic and parmesan mixture. There are no set rules on how to make pizza dough, other than using a bread-like crust loaded with your favorite toppings.

Bisquick Pizza DoughHomemade pizza dough can be made from scratch or created with a mix. The choice depends largely on your cooking ability and the time you have available to prepare your meal. Families with small children may enjoy the convenience of premixed pizza dough packages, especially if little chefs are helping to make the pizza.

Bisquick pizza dough is a quick and easy family recipe that children can help make. There are many different variations on the Bisquick pizza dough recipe, but the most basic recipe calls for mixing Bisquick mix with water and yeast to make pizza dough. Other variations add egg, milk, flour or seasonings. Bisquick pizza dough can be substituted for any pizza recipe. Bisquick pizza dough makes thicker, bread like crust and is soft enough for young teething children to chew.

Pizza dough is a versatile ingredient for any meal. It can be served as an appetizer, a main course or even as a dessert. Pizza dough is easy enough for children to make and allows little hands to stay busy while getting gooey and helping with family tasks.

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